Dead Man
by canadian author
Summary: "Ron may be rather dim compared to others but he knows that Cormac McLaggen is a dead man. No one talks like that about Hermione and gets away with it." [r/hr oneshot]


**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter**

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Ron doesn't like Cormac McLaggen. It's as simple as that. He doesn't like the way that Cormac walked into Quidditch try-outs, thinking that he'd leave as the Keeper (though Ron thought that he was going to be because he's _huge_ ) or the way that he threw a fit when Ron was named Keeper. He doesn't like his ego that's bigger than him or how he's got his friends glaring at Ron whenever he walks into the common room.

But he _especially_ doesn't like how Cormac took Hermione to Slughorn's Christmas party.

How could she ask _Cormac_? _Ron_ was supposed to go with her; she asked him first. He supposes that it may have had something to do with him and Lavender being together but he still would've gone with her. He didn't want them to stop their friendship but Hermione is still upset with him so he's just keeping his distance. But whether or not they went together, it still is bizarre that she went with _Cormac McLaggen_. It doesn't help that ever since that date he's been acting like more of an arse than ever.

Ron is forced to sit there in the Gryffindor common room and stare at Cormac. He's laughing with his seventh year friends and every now and then they'd shout something that would result in Cormac hitting them. Lance Butler had yelled at some point, "Yeah, get it Cormac!" and Ron figured out that they were talking about something that should _not_ be said in a room that currently has first years in it.

"Are you deaf mate?!" Seamus says.

"What?" Ron turns to Seamus, who looks rather annoyed. "What did you say?"

"I said for like the fiftieth time if you've figured out what is the big deal about nonverbal spells," Seamus says.

Ron and Seamus agreed to do their DADA homework together. It's uncommon because they'd rather do it with their own respective best friends but Harry's off with Dumbledore and Dean is off with Ginny (Ron was less than pleased to hear about this) and both of them had put off their two foot-long essay about nonverbal spells until the night before so they need all the help they can get.

"Sorry mate," Ron says, catching one final glance at the seventh years because Troy Easton is now sputtering uncontrollably at something Cormac said.

He looks back at his paper, silently wishing that Hermione would talk to him again because he's only got about three inches done. He says, "And I don't know. They're really useless. Hermione said they aren't as-"

"Forget nonverbals," Seamus interrupts. He nudges his head towards the seventh years. "I'm more curious about what's got you so interested in the seventh years' conversation."

"It's hard to focus when all I can hear is them yelling about Cormac shagging someone," Ron says, before attempting to focus on nonverbal spells again.

Seamus seems a lot more interested. He cranes his neck in his attempt to look at them better. He says, "Think they're talking about Hermione?"

Ron drops his quill and looks at Seamus with wide eyes. Hermione didn't shag him. She couldn't have! She's got more self-respect than to spend the night with a prat like Cormac. She's smarter than that. But then again, Ron thought she was smart enough to not go out with him in the first place…. _No_. She's Hermione Jean Granger, smartest witch of her age. She would _never_ go that far on the first date, let alone _go_ on a first date with an arse like Cormac.

"Oh yeah sorry, forgot you fancied her for a second," Seamus says.

"I do not-"

"I'm not taking that mickey for one second Weasley. _Everyone_ knows you fancy her. I just brought her up because Cormac fancies her too and unlike you, went on a date with her."

Ron shakes his head. "I'm with Lavender. You know that."

Seamus scoffs. "I also know that you and Hermione need to stop fighting and snog because I have a _lot_ of galleons riding on you two getting together before the end of seventh year. And that _may_ seem like a lot of time but it took you four years to realize she's a girl so-"

"Wait you're _betting_ on us?" Seamus nods. "How big is the pool? Who's in it?"

He shakes his head but says, "I can't say who's in it and how many people are cause we signed a contract. Someone managed to figure out how to charm the paper, like how Hermione signed the DA paper and I'd rather not cross it. But I _can_ say that whoever wins is going to be _rich_!"

It's one thing to have a few friends jokingly bet on when friends get together. Ron finds that okay but apparently, a _lot_ of people are betting on when he and Hermione are going to get together. Ron isn't entirely sure how to feel about that but it's kind of uplifting to him, knowing that there's so many people that are rooting for them to get together. They may be in it for the money but it's just still nice to think that there's people other than him who thinks he could be with Hermione.

"Well back on topic," Seamus says, "you've got to say something to Cormac because he's been acting like a king ever since that party. And personally, you're the only person that could put him back in his place."

Ron raises an eyebrow. " _Me_?"

"Yes you," he says. "Let's review the facts shall we? You reclaimed your spot as Keeper, which made Cormac throw a fit. Then he goes out on a date with the girl that you've practically marked as your territory-"

"I did _not-_ "

Seamus rolls his eyes. He says, "Well bottom line is, you've got to put Cormac into his place. It's for your own good."

" _Me_? No," Ron says, shaking his head. "What makes you think _I_ can take down Cormac? He's huge."

"You fought against Death Eaters in the Ministry mate. I _think_ you can handle Cormac," Seamus reasons. He's got a point. If he can fight grown wizards trained in the Dark Arts, why can't he take on Cormac? He could barely hold his wand right.

Ron casts a glance over towards Cormac. He could _easily_ imagine himself pummeling him, taking him out with spells and hexes because it's doubtable that he could take him down without his wand. He sees Cormac lying down unconscious with perhaps a broken nose or black eye. All the Gryffindors would be cheering for him because no one likes Cormac and then Hermione would come in and-

 _No_.

He wouldn't be any better than Cormac if he just picked a fight with him. Ron doesn't have good enough reasons to fight him. He hasn't talked to him about the Keeper issue. He doesn't have any _actual_ proof that Cormac's talking inappropriately about Hermione. Besides, it wouldn't be his fight. She's not his girlfriend; she's not even his friend right now.

"Wouldn't be right," Ron says, shaking his head.

"But-"

"I'm not fighting Cormac." He picks up his quill. "End of discussion Seamus."

Seamus looks at Ron skeptically but they continue doing their essay together. It goes along fine. They actually manage to get to seven inches but they find they've run out of things to say on nonverbal spells. Ron slightly ponders starting a fight with Cormac just to get out of doing this essay but decides against it quickly.

After a while, the younger kids all go up to their rooms because it's getting late. Ron and Seamus manage to get to a foot, resulting in high-fives between the pair.

"If we can _actually_ get this done, I think I'll-"

Seamus doesn't finish his sentence though because Lance Butler is now standing on a chair on the other side of the common room. He's got a cup raised. What's in it is beyond Ron's knowledge.

He says, "Oi! Can I get everyone's attention?"

Lance knows that he didn't have to ask that because he got his attention when he stood on a bloody chair. But he asked it and now goes on to say, "I think we should all congratulate my best mate, Cormac McLaggen for shagging with the biggest prude in Hogwarts, Hermione Granger!"

"Shit."

It's Seamus who says that because while the seventh years and a few fifth and fourth years who want to be cool cheer, Ron stands up. Seamus tries to go after Ron because Seamus didn't actually think he'd do this but Ron's on a mission. Ron may be rather dim compared to others but he knows that Cormac McLaggen is a dead man.

 _No one_ talks like that about Hermione in Ron's presence and gets away with it.

"What do _you_ want Weasley?" Gary Fultz asks, taking a sip of his own drink.

"He's probably upset about Granger," Lance says.

Troy hits Cormac in the chest. He says, "You're with Brown. Good job by the way on that. Granger was free game. Cormac did nothing wrong."

He starts laughing with his friends as Ron stops dead in his tracks because all he could see is Cormac on top of her and all he could hear is Hermione begging for it. But then he remembers what girl and what guy he's thinking about and he remembers that it's all lies. Hermione can get _anyone_ but he knows that she'll never go for two people: him and Cormac.

"Only thing I did wrong was take her in Sluggy's office," Cormac says with a smirk on his face. He takes a long sip from his cup. "It's always the smart ones who are the wild ones. I couldn't keep her off me."

"Liar," Ron spats.

Cormac raises an eyebrow. "You calling me a liar, Weasley?"

"Stop talking about her like that and maybe I will because there is _no_ way that Hermione would even shag you. She wouldn't even snog you. Hell, she wouldn't even give you a peck on the cheek," he insists.

"Why are you defending her?" Cormac sets his cup down on a nearby table. "You got with Brown. I picked up the broken pieces of the heart you broke. So out of the two of us, which one of us is _really_ the bad guy?"

Broken heart? Ron couldn't have broken her heart. She doesn't even like him. She hates him. Why would she cry over a bloke like him? He's not worth her time-and neither is Cormac.

"Just stop talking about her like she's just some slag because she isn't. She's amazing and smart and deserves _so_ much more than either of us. She could have Krum or Harry so there's no way in hell that she'd give herself to _you_ of all people."

Cormac chuckles and says, "Then why was she coming for me at that party?"

Ron stands there frozen for a few seconds. Cormac just smirks at his frozen face and turns to his friends. He says, "Look guys, he doesn't have anything to say. He's still in denial that Hermione may like someone that isn't him. Well guess what Weasley? She's into me and I was _in_ her."

 _That's_ it.

Ron punches Cormac in the face and tackles him to the ground, breaking a table in the process. He hits Cormac everywhere he can and yells at him that he's a liar. Cormac's hitting back too and it hurts a lot, making him wonder if he's even causing any damage to Cormac but it doesn't matter how much pain he's in because if it means that he can cause the _slightest_ pain to Cormac it's worth it.

"FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" Lance begins chanting. The fifth and fourth years join in too because this is the most excitement in the common room since ever.

Cormac manages to get onto his feet and kicks Ron in the chest. He yells, "You're crazy Weasley! Acting like Hermione's yours when you've got your own girlfriend to shag!"

Ron swipes his feet, sending Cormac to the ground. He moves fast to punch him in the face and keep him pinned to the ground. He yells, "Well she isn't yours either!"

Cormac grabs Ron and throws him, sending him into a table. He takes out the legs and the table falls on him. He doesn't have a second to think about the glass shard from the table that is digging into his arm because Cormac tackles him again. Ron rolls Cormac over and he yells too, making Ron figure that he managed to stab him with some glass shards.

"Guys! Break it up!" Seamus yells. He tries to get through the crowd of kids who are more than excited to see a fight but they all push him back, not wanting the fight to end.

It does end though when an all too familiar voice yells, "RONALD WEASLEY!"

The crowd parts like the Red Sea for Hermione to run through to the center where Ron is holding Cormac by the sweater, getting ready to punch him. He looks at Hermione and realizes that he probably looks like a mess right now and that the situation looks less than desirable. Hermione looks _beyond_ furious. She looks just about ready to murder someone and Ron is actually surprised when he realizes that he thinks it's hot.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" she yells as she pulls Ron off of Cormac. She brushes the glass shards off of him. "HOW COULD YOU GET INTO A FIGHT? YOU'RE A _PREFECT_!"

"Sorry," Ron mutters.

" _SORRY_?!" She hits him on his shoulder, which hurts a great deal because of his previous fight. "GO TO THE HOSPITAL WING RIGHT NOW AND GET YOURSELF CLEANED UP! I SWEAR TO GOD RONALD, YOU MAKE THE _STUPIDEST_ DECISIONS SOMETIMES!"

Ron goes off to the hospital wing, escorted by Seamus because Hermione's staying behind to get the common room in order. Seamus clamps his hand on his shoulder and says, "Look mate, you may have just gotten into a fight-"

"You _wanted_ it," he says.

" _I_ didn't think it'd actually happen," Seamus clarifies. He sighs. "Sorry mate."

Ron shakes his head. He says, "Hermione's even _more_ angry with me now. At this rate she'll never talk to me again."

"On the bright side, she didn't yell at Cormac." Seamus gives him an attempt at a comforting smile. "She only yells at you."

That little fact is the only thing that makes him forget the pain of the glass shards and bruised body parts on the way to the hospital wing.

He is released from the hospital wing early in the morning, about an hour before breakfast. Of course that means he has to go to school but at least at least he doesn't have to be in there with Cormac any longer. Apparently, Ron had also broken his nose in addition to everything else that he had done. It makes him a little bit happier but all that happiness fades when he walks into the common room and sees Hermione sitting their on the couch.

"Um, hello Hermione," Ron awkwardly greets.

"Hello Ronald," she coldly greets back. She stands up. "Why are you just getting back now?"

"Medicine for the wounds. They took all night to work," he explains.

She says that she's disappointed with him, getting into a fight with Cormac. In a very Hermione-like manner, she points out to him that he's a prefect and he shouldn't be getting into fights, especially not in public like in the common room. She tells him to think of the example he's setting and shouldn't fight others.

"Just because Cormac is a prat, doesn't mean-"

"You're not….you're not going to be talking to Cormac anymore right?" Ron asks.

She rolls her eyes and scoffs. "Honestly Ronald. _Of course_ I'm going to be talking to a guy that parties with his friends on school nights and speaks of me like I have no pride."

"What? I just want to make sure." He reaches behind to scratch the back of his neck in awkwardness because he can feel his face getting read again. "Guys like Cormac….they're pretty damn good looking and he's all strong and stuff and….I know you're not shallow like that but…."

She looks at him, edging him to go on but he doesn't know what else to say. Hermione can't know that he's scared that she'll leave him for someone better. He meant what he said earlier, about her being able to have anyone else. She could have the greatest Seeker in the world or the Chosen One. Why would she even _think_ about being with a guy like Ron?

"Well I guess you can say Cormac's not really my type," Hermione says with a shrug. The entire sentence was so unlike her. It sounds like something that Lavender would say when she's flirting.

He briefly considers that maybe, just _maybe_ , she's flirting with him but he pushes it away because he's dating Lavender and Hermione would _never_ flirt with a bloke like him.

"Could've sworn your type were good Quidditch players," Ron jokingly says, quoting Parvati from a few weeks ago. She gives him an annoyed look but he shrugs. "I mean Krum is world class and Cormac….well, he's better than me you know?"

She shakes her head. "Cormac's not on the Quidditch team. All he's good for is getting drunk on a school night."

Ron raises an eyebrow and Hermione elaborates by saying, "He and his friends were drunk. Harry found crates of Firewhiskey in their room."

He stands there in an awkward silence as Hermione picks up her bag that's leaning against her chair. She says, "Well I'm going to go to the library before breakfast. I need some more information on nonverbal spells."

Ron nods, remembering that he never actually finished that essay and makes his way towards the staircase. A part of him wonders if maybe he and Hermione will start talking again but he remembers that things will probably revert back to the current normal once things start back up again with Lavender.

"Oh, and Ron?" He turns around, a curious part of him wondering what she'll say. He sees Hermione, her face kind of red and an awkward look on her face. "Seamus told me about Cormac. And that Troy guy. He was drunk so he told me everything. So yeah, I know _everything_ he said."

No wonder she looks red. The things that Cormac said about her, they weren't pretty. He wants to tell her that he'll fight anyone who talks about her in such a demeaning way ever again, no matter what she says because making sure no one disrespects her is more important than his prefect duties. He'll _gladly_ give his badge to Harry if it means that he can stop every crude rumor about Hermione.

"I'm...I'm sorry for yelling about you. I know you meant well but I didn't know-"

"It was stupid," he tells her because he knows that's what she wants to hear. "I shouldn't be picking fights. You're right, I'm a prefect. I should take it more seriously."

For once, Hermione doesn't look pleased to hear that. She still has that awkward expression on her face and he doesn't know what he's supposed to say to get her to comfort her so Ron just stands there awkwardly.

"I...I just want you to know…."

She sucks in a deep breath and her pride to tell him, "Thank you. Thanks for doing something about Cormac. Even if I've been cold towards you the past few weeks, you still cared enough about me to get into a fight like that and….it means a lot. So thanks Ron."

Ron smiles at her and she smiles back. There's a silent connection between them. He doesn't know what _it_ is but he knows that he likes it. He likes just being there with her, even being a couple feet apart, in the silence of the morning with the world not knowing they're there. Because in that moment, they're not Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger: best friends of Harry Potter that are going to help stop Voldemort. Instead, they're just Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger: friends.

A little hopeful part of his brain tells him they're a bit more but that's just the hopeful part.

"No problem," he says because he cannot formulate any sentence that'll convey what he _really_ means.

So she nods, albeit with a growing smile and a red face, and leaves the common room. He walks up the staircase himself. It was actually a problem. He didn't finish his DADA essay, he spent the night in the hospital wing, and he's got bruises and scars so _yes_ , it was quite a problem in hindsight but it's for Hermione.

Ron will fight Cormac McLaggen every day and lose if it means that Hermione will keep looking at him like that.

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 **Author's Note: Okay, so this is my first one-shot and I hope it satisfies. I'm not entirely sure if the characters are ooc or not but I tried my best. Romione is my favorite ship and I got inspired after watching Half-Blood Prince clips. Yes, I could've written about Lavender but I don't find Lavender as good of an antagonist as Cormac. Cormac's arrogant personality suits the role.**

 **So if you're this far, I want to wish you a good day (or night, whatever). Please review or favorite or whatever the third option is that I can't remember.**


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